State Governments Struggle To Put Out Rumours Of Shortage And Salt Prices Skyrocketing To ₹700/kg

Demonetisation effect.

Following the scrapping of ₹500 and ₹1,000 currency notes, India has witnessed a slew of bizarre and tragic incidents. Given that the majority of the country doesn't have access to internet and has no way to verify information, the confusion that has ensued has led to rumours about a steep hike in prices of essential commodities. Late on Friday, reports of salt being sold at exorbitant rates trickled in from across the country.

A report on The Hindu quotes a social activist from Jama Masjid area in Delhi as saying that towards early evening, a kilogram of salt, which usually costs ₹25, was being sold in local shops for ₹50. Later in the evening, the price swiftly rose to ₹250 and then shops refused to sell salt at all. The said hike in the price was based on a rumour that the country is running short of essential commodities like salt and sugar, leading to some shops to try duping customers.

The same report says that WhatsApp forwards doing the rounds have been 'warning' people that we are soon going to run out of oil, sugar, milk etc too. A south Delhi resident told the paper that he went to Khan Market in Central Delhi to buy 5 kg salt as 'precautionary measure' on Friday evening, but couldn't find any.

False alarm bells were set off in Mumbai as well.

"Rumours about price hike are doing rounds. These are baseless," a Mumbai Police spokesperson told PTI.

According to reports, Mumbai police control room was overwhelmed with frantic calls from people wanting to know if the prices had really skyrocketed — even up to ₹700.

Mumbai police control room was overwhelmed with frantic calls from people who wanted to know if salt was really selling at ₹700 per kg.

But the police appealed everyone via Twitter not to believe rumours, saying there is no shortage of salt or any other necessary commodity nor is there any price hike.

A report on The Indian Express states: "Panicked people thronged shops as salt shortage rumours spread across parts of Uttar Pradesh on Friday night. In Moradabad, there were reports of panicked customers flocking to market as rumours flew thick and fast that salt has gone out of shelves and shopkeepers are selling at a premium."

However, the authorities were swift to act. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Twitter that there was no shortage of salt and anyone hoarding essential commodities to sell at a premium later will be face action. Delhi Food and Supply minister held an emergency meeting on the situation and the Delhi Police issued an advisory, which the chief minister retweeted from his account.